CyberDivinity
by ElegantButler
Summary: While searching for a new story, Edison Carter discovers a secret sect with a surprising focus of worship.
1. Chapter 1

**Max Headroom: 20 Minutes Into The Future**

**Cyber-Divinity**

**-Chapter 01: The Secret Sect-**

Edison Carter made his way carefully through the rim of the town that made up the no man's land between the city and its fringes. He was, as usual, searching for something that would make a good story.

So far he had done shows on Security Systems (that had nearly cost him and Bryce Lynch their lives), the Vu-Age church, Dream-Vu (he still missed Paddy Ashton), and the recent telelection in which Simon Peller had managed to get back into the public's good graces. This last had followed a temporary hiatus in his governorship when Edison's scandalous Harriet Garth report had caused both Network 23 and its rival Network 66 to lose the previous election.

But what would catch the public's eye? They were so used to the action-packed excitement of Edison's recent reports that he doubted very seriously that he would get away with a simple report on how well the zoo was getting on with the new animals unless a cougar escaped its cage and started mauling people.

As he walked into the Ouzo Bar just inside the Fringes, Edison saw two people in white cloaks wander by, chatting softly to each other. He couldn't hear most of what they were saying. Two words did meet his ears, however, and he turned a curious head to ask what they were talking about. But by then, the two were gone and all that remained were the two words that still rang in Edison's ears:

"The virgin."

Edison looked into his vidicam. "Theora. Did you catch where that pair just went?"

"Two doors down, Edison," Theora replied. "On the right."

Edison followed Theora's directions and found himself in a small room that was lit by one candle. Around it sat seven cloaked figures. Edison couldn't tell by looking at them whether they were male or female. The cloaks were unrevealing.

One of them spoke softly. She seemed to be the leader of the group.

"Holy virgin, holiest of all the cyberpunks," she prayed, "whom we shall not fail. We worship thee."


	2. Chapter 2

**Max Headroom: 20 Minutes Into The Future**

**Cyber-Divinity**

**-Chapter 02: Discovering The Virgin-**

Edison watched silently until one of the circle looked up at him.

"Edison Carter," he said, clearly not at all upset by Edison's presence. "Please, join our circle."

Edison was rather surprised by the invitation, but sat between the man who'd invited him and the woman who was clearly their leader.

The service went on for another several minutes. Edison listened carefully. He didn't join in the statements, but none of the others seemed to mind. Apparently they didn't expect visitors to just jump in and immediately start worshipping whatever deity they worshipped.

Words and phrases ran through his mind as he headed back to Network 23. New words that he was sure the sect had made up, and phrases whose familiarity sent a shiver up his spine:

Cyber-virgin. (Edison had the feeling this had not been a reference to 12:00 flashers as computer-illiterate people were often called.)

Holiest of cyberpunks. (This was the one that raised his eyebrows almost off his skull.)

Mother of the cyber-messiah. (Why was this resonating like a familiar chord in his mind. And just who was the cyber-messiah?)

That was something he would have to discover before he did any further research on this unusual, but clearly non-threatening sect.

Once the other members had departed, Edison approached the leader.

"That was a very interesting service," he told her.

"Thank you, Mr. Carter," the leader bowed slightly. "I must say, it's an honor to have the father of the cyber-messiah grace us with his presence."

Edison blinked. "Just who is the cyber-messiah?" he asked. But something in his mind was telling him he already knew the answer to this one.

"Max Headroom, of course," the woman told him.

"So, you're the leader of a sect that worships Max Headroom?"

The woman shook her head. "No," she corrected him. "We worship his mother."

"His… mother?" Edison blinked, wondering who she was referring to. Then it hit him and his eyebrows went up even further in a look of rare surprise. "You mean Bryce Lynch?"

"Yes," the woman confirmed.

"Figures," Murray said over Theora's shoulder back at Control.


End file.
